Electric distribution system.



Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1- Z pig 2 V. G. APPLE.

ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

APPLIOATION FILED APR 2 mos.

J Q ,1 ilk V. G. APPLE.

ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 23, 1906.

Pategted Aug. 6, 1912.

4 SHBETS SHEET 2.

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ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION PIBEID APR.'23, 190s.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

4 SHIKETS-SHEFET 3.

Z ZZ/dzizze c6560 v. G. APPLE. ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. APPLIOATIOK FILED A'PIL23, 1906.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

' 25; nections of circuit wires associated with the Toollwlwm 'it may concern:

Beit knownrthatjl, ,VINCENT G. APPLE, a citizen of. the United States, residing at Dayton, in the? county-of Montgomery and 5 State ofgOhio haveinvented certain new and-useful Improvements in Electric Distribution Systems, of which the following fa specification. l 'My invention relates to improvements in electric'd-istribution systems and the control thereof,- and has for one of its'primary ob: jectsto provide in. association with parts and circuits of an electric distribution system susceptible of interconnection in vari ous relations, a unitary means, preferably. in thg' form of pan-rotary,v unidirectional switch, for, effecting the circuit connections necessary for suchvariousroperative associations of the parts 'of the-system.

A-further object of my invention is to provide controlling mechanism of the character described, which is simple in construction and easy of manufacture, capable of effecting the various combinations or con several electrical devices of the system, that produce the different associations of parts desirablein the system. 7

yOther-and .furtherbbjects-of my inven-. 130 tion will", best become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, 1 taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,;. illustrating an operative. embodiment of my invention.

In said drawings :1 F igure. 1 is a side elevation, of.- -a controlling switch constituting part; of "my invention, Fig. 2* is a similar Y viewqtak enifromjthe right :of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa= sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. {t is.;a ;transverse section on line 44of Fig. Fig... 5;; is 1a?" plansldetail of the indiair}; ig. 6.1jand gEig. G 'arerespec-I ircl completesdiagramwand a s mp i d, ng-r t '1 tllcoconnec ion esta lis e i 8cP Ii f ri1l hl p s onrsh wn; 'gS-.r Q .HTQEIQSPBCIQ oirn t fandi imp fied d grams; an e b ish d; when t t met e wit h clemat moved ne st p edva c 59": fa heinosit n 'hQWnJ aE g- Figs-8.: nd 8a a e m arws;w t e sw t element dvan ced -al,second step. .Eigs. 9. i i were similar views. with the switch-- element advancedgai third step. g 5Q; gghroughout; the drawings 1 like. numerals w r flew? mars-m "s eiaationjer-mmrs Patent. Application filed 411111123, 906. Serial No. 313,270.

of reference refer always to like parts.

To describe first the switchstructure em- Patented Aug. 6 1912; I

ployed, that its association with circuits hereafter referred to ;may. be clearly understood, reference is made particularly to Figs. 1 to 5. :Insaid figures 10 indicates a switch base, preferably of insulating matea rial, whereon is mounted for rotation "a suitable stem 11, about which are'pla'ced the cover or cap 16 may beprovided above four terminal. posts 12, 13, 14 and 15.

which projects the usual handle 17, the cover being preferably provided with a view opening 16 through which is exposed one of the various indications upon the dial 18 carried by and rotated with the stem 11 Preferably the stem construction-is that of- :an ordinary four point snap stvitch,;but=

the specific construction of the means forrm tating the switch are immaterial-to .the'. present inventionand need not be described. For the purpose of effecting ;-thevarious connections desirable-in my. system through the medium of blades of the rotary switch,

I provide some, of the various terminal posts with multiple contacts, arranged indifferent planes. In the specific embodiment shown the multiple contacts ofv the various posts are arran'gedin five differentthe several posts will be referred to by genera] numbers indicative of the posts whereby they are carried, with exponents indicative of the tiers in which" they lie. The post 12 has a single pair of contact-fingers 12*; and the post 13 is provided with superposed contacts 13 and 13. solid throughout' Post 14 is made up of two Eachof these posts is sections insulated from each other,jj-14, being the lower section and 14 the upper section.

z' l'hej w r c i c sscontactls d e pperse n-r fin .eq te s' 149. d r.

110 s likew sekcompas dr super posed sections insulated from each othe the low'er section 5115' carrying qmtact jlii and one finger of a pair constituting contact 15?,gthe opposite gfinger whereof isi carried byirthe uppermost section 15" as is also the..- contact 159 Thus inthe five tiers of.$contactsareproyided one contact in tier a,

carriedgb the post 12, three contacts in tier b carrie respect-ively by post-13 andthe lower sections of posts 14 and 15; one con- It willbe understood that any suitable binding-post or other wire-connecting devices are associatedwith the various post sections or posts, for connecting them in "suitable circuits to be described.

The rotatable center stem aflords support for various blade parts; arranged to be brought into operative relation with the several contact devices carried by the posts,

the blade structures in the specific embodiment shown being divisible into three gfoups, one blade group comprising a single blade 20 electrically connected with thestem 11; a second blade group, generally re ferred to as 21, comprising a plurality of blades, herelnshown as four in number, and

. indicated at 21, 21321 and 21 all connected together butinsulated from the sup- .porting structure; and a third group, of

a single blade 22, insulated from the sup porting structure. Specifically, 23 indicates an annular support secured to and making electrical contact with the'center stem 11 and carrying the blade '20 in the plane of the lower tierta) of the contacts, for cooperation with the contact 12. Carried by said member 23, but insulated therefrom and from stem 11, is a blade structure 22, arranged for coaction with the contact pair 15 to connect, when engaging said contact pair, the upper and lower sections 15, 1-5, of the post 15. A'second support 24, is provided upon the stem, and from it is'supported in any convenient manner the plate 21, having protruding therefrom-contact 21*. arranged in the second tier directly above the contact 20, and contacts 21 and 21 oppositely disposed at right angles thereto in the fourth tier. The contact 21 disposed opposite the blade 21 and arranged in the uppermost tier (e), is supported from and electrically connected to structure 21'. These blades'21 21 21 and 21 are, therefore, all inter-- connected for electrical continuity, and are insulated from the supporting structure 24- and the stem 11.

A permanent connection is afforded by a strip 25 (see Fig. 4e), between thecenter stem 11 and the lower portion 15 of the post n. Y Y

The function of the switch, broadly con sidered, is to effect various connections or combinations of a plurality of electrical instruments or tools, and more specifically to effect various combinations between a dynamo, a battery, a volt-meter, an ammeter,

and the line, in an electrical distribution system. In. the diagrammatic views G tact '15).

wearer represents an electrical generator or dynamo;

13 represents a storage battery; V represents a volt-meter, and A represents an ammeter.

Two line wires are indicated by the letters Z, and Z. Permanent connections are effected between the various parts and the controlling switch as follows: From the positive pole of generator G a wire 26 is connected to the post 12; the post 13 is connected directly to the line wire Z; the upper section of post 14 is connected by a wire 27 with one terminal of the ammeter A, and the opposite terminal of said ammeter is connected 'by wire 28 with the lower section 15' of. post and the various connections hereinafter de scribed may be employedfor various purposes, but for full disclosure I suggest, for example only, the employment of the parts in an electricignition system for gas engines.

When the parts are in the positionshown in Figs. 1 to 5, the view opening 16 in the casing displays'upon the dial 18 the abbreviu-tion Amp. Chg, indicative Of-ampereS charging and connections are established through the switch from the generator through the ammeter, to the line and battery in parallel, so that thecurrent flow may be measured while the battery is being charged. The specific connections .established are shown, in the diagrams Fig. 6 and Fig. 6". Under these conditions the blade 20 and part 23 connect post 12 with the stem- 11, and thence connection is 'made by bar 25 with the base portion of post 15. Through the blade group 21, the post 13 (contact 13 of which is'engaged by a contact 21) is connected to the upper section of post 14 (through blades 21 and contact 14 and thence with the upper. section of post 15, (through the medium of blade 21 and con- The blades 21 and 22 are-not connected with any contacts, as may be seen in Fig. 2. Under these conditions the current flow is as indicated by the arrows in Figl'fi, from the generator G by wire 26, post 12, thence by contact 12 and blade 20 to the stem 11 and by bar 25 to the lower portion of post 15, thence by wire28 to the ammeter, and from its opposite terminal by wire 27 to the upper member of post 14L Here the current divides, one path being completed by the structure 21 to the blade 21 contact 13 of post 13, line wire Z and back by line wire 1' to thegenerator; and

- the other path extending through blade structure 21 and blade 21 tocontact of the-upper section of post 15, and thence by wire '31 to thebattery B, returning by wire 32 to the line wire I and the generator.

Under these conditions it will be manifest that the battery and generator being in parallel n their connection with the line,

the battery is arranged to reinforce the gen- .10

erator should'the line conditions require a is included in series with the'generator connection to show the ampere output of the generator, I

If the switch be, advanced one step in a 4 clock-wise direction, so that all of the parts 16. When the parts are in this position the associated with the stem are thrown forwarda quarter turn, the word Ott' upon the dlal is brought before the view opening contacts stand as illustrated in Fig. 7,'the

, Fig. 8, so that contact 15 of the upper sec tion-15Qhofpost 15, contact 14 of the lower single blade 20 in the tier a having moved away from the single contact 12*- in said tier, so that the positive pole of the dynamo has no'connection with any other element of the system, and the upper section 15" of the. post 15 having no connection through any 'blade with any other" part so that the lead "from thB'P P of the storage battery is open or' disconnected from the associated elements. Consequently, as illustrated; in' the small diagram in Figjeboch sources of current Supply are disconnected from each other,'th e line and the meters, so that no currentflows in the system. An-' otherxquarter turnflimparted to the switch stem brings the indication Bat. Volts signifying. batteryyolts beneath the view aperture ofthe casing. In this position the contact blades are arranged as shown in section 14 1,0f PQShlt, andcontact 13 0f post 13 are connected together by blades 21 21 and 21 respectively of the insulated structure 21; blades 20?, 21 and 22" of the switch being disconnected from any contacts, Under the conditions shown, thecdynamo is cut out of service, its positive pole being connected to the dead contact 12, but current flows from the storage battery by wire 31 to the upper section of post 15, thence through contact 15 and 21* by the blade structure 21 to the lower section 14 of post 14 where the blade 21 is in connection. with contact 14;. Here the current divides, part thereof taking the course through the structure 21 to contact 21 which is connected through contact 13 with post 13, to which is connected one line wire l,'the circuit beingcompleted through the return wire l'- and 'wire 32 t5 the negativ'tenfiin" through the postfjsefction 1 1 operate with any con gets,

diagram v9 the battery tery; The other 15k I \V116729,.,V0lt meter V, and wire 30116 the line wire that as bestillust'rate F te is connected to supp and the volt-meter'Ii When the switch s quarter turn, thelin d (meaning amperi u l the dial is broughtjb ne t t1 tureof the casingan'd th con a thrown to the position show; Igrgj. 9 th is to say, blade 22 is broiightf'into positit'iri to connect the two blades of the :pair 15?,

ted "'t which said blades, are 1 per and lower member" contacts 13 and l tfifare by blades 21 and 21?. tion of post 14 and cally connected bvt position blades 21?,1

is'established as foll g A an x B current fiows throng ere/31 mper section of post 15 andtliroughthe blade190 to the lower secti eidigi as I thence through the ,1 2 ddpiiiijef thence by wire27 top by contact 14, blade 2 to blade 21 and contac from said post 13. to. ,tliel1ne Quit being completedby th wire32 direct to theba tte i beapparent that; asli aly: is connected to ener-; gize the line with the ammeter connected series with t i te yrte a 1m age of the discharge of the battei yf l completes the cycle of the 'itch t quarter turn imp'arte L i pg ng lw the parts back to their i n a position It will. now be appare .t ,1 I l vided a simple, sun I switch capable of be' j M v tions in which respe elygg. goat; blades and contacts e 'fi'ect connection of a. generator through anamnieter ,to the line and stora e battery 1n-,pa a .,l l e l,; egnne tip n of the std rage batter tofit "In tur d L charge with the yoltemeter b d g aeross llfi Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent, of the United States, is:

,1. In an electric distribution system, the

combination with a dynamo, a storage bat tery, and an ammeter, of suitablecircuit connections including line wires, and a unidirectional rotary switch comprising tor-- minals for the circuit connections,-and' suitably grouped movable contactsfor elfecting at will connection either of the dynamo through the ainmeter with the line and battery in parallel or of the storage battery through the aminet'erwith the line." Y

i 2. In an electric distribution system the combination witha dynamo,'a storage battery, and an ammeter, of suitable circuit connections including the line wires, and a unidirectional ,rotary switch comprising terminals for said circuit connections and grouped contacts movable in unison, for'effooting at will. connection of the dynamo" through the ammeter with the line and storage battery in parallel; coniiection of the battery with the line'through the ammeter; and disconnection of both battery and dyiiamo from the line.

3. In-aii electric, distribution system the combination with a dynamo, a storage bat tery and an amineter, of suitable circuit connections including line wires, and a single means for effecting at will connec- -'-tion of the dynamo through the ammeter connect-ions including line -wires, and a single switch for efl'ect-ing at will connection between the dynamo and battery, ex-

I cluding the volt-meter, and connection between the battery and the line including the. volt-meter in bridge across the line, said switch comprising appropriate terminals for the circuit connections, and grouped contacts movable in unison.

5. In an electric distributibn system the combination with a dynamo; a'battery, and .a volt-meter, of suitable circuit connections including the line wire, and a single unidirectional rotary switch comprising terminalsfor said circuit connections and grouped contacts movable in unison, for effecting at will connection between the dynamo and battery; connection between the battery and the line including the voltmeter in bridged relation to the line; and disconnection of both the dynamo-and battery from each other and the line.

6. In an electric distribution system the combination with a dynamo, a storage battery, a volt-meter, and an ammeter, of suitablecircuit connections including the line wires, and a single rotary switch comprising terminals for said circuit connections and grouped contacts movable iii unison, adapted and arranged to establish at will connection of the dynamo through the amineterflto the line-and battery in parallel; connection. of the battery through the ammeter to the line to the exclusion of the dynamo, and connection of the battery to the lineexcluding the dynamo and ammeter, with the volt-meter in bridge across. the

line.

7. In an. electric distribution system the combination with a dynamo, a storage battery, a volt-meter, and an ammeter, of suitable circuit connections including the line wires, and a single rotary, unidirectional switch compr sing terminals for said circuit connections'and grouped contacts movable in unison, adapted and arranged to establishat will any of the following connections, viz: of the dynamo through the ammeter to the line and battery in parallel;

of the battery through the ammeter to the line; of the battery to the line with the voltmeter in bridge across the line; or disconnection of both battery and dynamo from each other and the line.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses. v

VINCENT o. APPLE. In the presence of ELiuER E. ULLRICH, W. D; BROWN. 

